Nozzle head for spraying aerosol

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a nozzle head for spraying aerosol and provides a novel nozzle head for spraying aerosol which head can eliminate the defect that the leakage remained in the valve passage through the nozzle occurs even when the nozzle head valve is closed by stopping the depression thereof and which can prevent the leakage of the remaining liquid immediately after the release of the nozzle head. The construction which characterizes the present invention is such that two valves are interposed in the passage through which the aerosol liquid is sprayed, the first valve being disposed adjacent to the container while the second valve, adjacent to the nozzle orifice; and the spring for the second valve is weaker than that for the first valve so that when spraying is stopped, the first valve is first closed so that the flow of the liquid from the container is stopped and then the second valve adjacent to the nozzle orifice is closed so that the leakage of the liquid remained in the valve passage can be completely prevented.

United States Patent Susukiet al.

[ NOZZLE HEAD FOR SPRAYING AEROSOL Raion Yushi Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: April 15, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 28,907

[73] Assignee:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data April 18, 1969 Japan ....44/30l42 April 18, 1969 Japan ..44/35682 April l8, 1969 Japan ..44/35688 [52] US. Cl ..222/402.24, ZZZ/402.25, 222/545 [51] Int. Cl ..B65d 83/00 [58] Field of Search ..239/573, 579, 337; 222/402.l, ZZZ/402.17, 402.19, 402.24, 402.25

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,187,953 6/1965 Ferguson ..222/402.24 X

62 6'3 35 .5" as Zrs-\ 6/ p) i= 51 3,669,321 June 13, 1972 Fead et a]. ..222/402.l7

Primary ExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr. Assistant Examiner-Thomas C. Culp, Jr. AttorneyCushman, Darby & Cushman [57] ABSTRACT The present invention relates to a nozzle head for spraying aerosol and provides a novel nozzle head for spraying aerosol which head can eliminate the defect that the leakage remained in the valve passage through the nozzle occurs even when the nozzle head valve is closed by stopping the depression thereof and which can prevent the leakage of the remaining liquid immediately after the release of the nozzle head. The construction which characterizes the present invention is such that two valves are interposed in the passage through which the aerosol liquid is sprayed, the first valve being disposed adjacent to the container while the second valve, adjacent to the nozzle orifice; and the spring for the second valve is weaker than that for the first valve so that when spraying is stopped, the first valve is first closed so that the flow of the liquid from the container is stopped and then the second valve adjacent to the nozzle orifice is closed so that the leakage of the liquid remained in the valve passage can be completely prevented.

6 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 13 #972 3, 669.321

sum 2 or 7 NOZZLE HEAD SPRAYING AEROSOL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an improvement of a spraying head of an aerosol sprayer for spraying atomized liquid.

2 Description of the Prior Art In the conventional sprayer of the type described, the distance between the valve which opens or closes so as to start or stop spraying and the nozzle orifice from which the liquid is actually sprayed into the surrounding atomosphere is relatively long so that even when the valve is closed, the liquid remained in the passage is blown through the nozzle orifice under the spraying pressure. This causes the unpleasant feelings especially when the liquid in the container is of the type being sprayed in the form of foam as in the case of the shaving cream, glass polishing agents, etc. and furthermore, the foam accumulates at the nozzle orifice.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a spray head which can eliminate the defects encountered in the conventional spray head and which can immediately stop the flow or ejection of the liquid to be sprayed when the valves are closed by releasing the spray head.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a spray head in which an auxiliary valve which is actuated under a force smaller than that for actuating the main valve is disposed adjacent to the nozzle orifice, thereby completely preventing the leakage or ejection of the liquid remained in the valve passage.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spray head in which a cavity is provided in'one portion of the valve passage in such a manner that the volume of the space may be increased when the valves are closed, thereby reducing the spraying pressure of the liquid so as to prevent the leakage or ejection of the liquid through the nozzle orifice.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a spray head having a configuration best suited to be depressed in a simple manner.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIG. 1, an aerosol container 1 contains a liquid to be sprayed and a liquidified gas and has a spring seat 2 fitted into the opening thereof. The spring seat 2 is substantially in a hollow cylindrical form and has an opening 21 formed in the bottom.

A passageway 31 is formed substantially coaxially of a cylindrical valve rod 3 which has a large diameter valve seat 32 formed at the lower end thereof. A radial passageway 33 is formed immediately above the valve seat 32 so as to communicate the passageway 31 with the outside of the valve rod 3. A first valve 4 in the form of a ring and made of a rubber or synthetic resin is seated upon the upper edge of the spring seat 2 and around the valve rod 3. The portion of the valve rod 3 around which is fitted the first valve 4 is downwardly tapered as shown at 37. The valve rod 3 is normally held in such a position as shown in FIG. I by a coiled spring 23 disposed in the spring seat 2 so as to close the first valve 4.

A hollow cylindrical pushbutton 6 is fitted over the upper end of the valve'rod 3 in such a manner that the inner wall 61 may slide over the valve rod 3 in-the axial direction thereof and is held in a desired position by means of a plate spring 8 whose force is weaker than that of the coiled spring 23. A radial passageway 34 in communication with the passageway 31 is formed through the valve rod at the reduced portion thereof and a second ring-shaped valve 5 similar to the first valve 4 is fitted around this reduced portion and held in position by a retainer 9.

An annular groove 36 is formed around the valve rod 3 at the portion above the second valve 5. A bore 35 is formed from the top 38 of the valve rod 3 coaxially thereof and is communicated with the annular groove 36 by a suitable passage. The space 7 above the inner wall 61 is communicated by a through bore 65 with the lower space of the pushbutton 6.

A groove 63 is fonned through a frustoconical projection 62 extended into the space 7 from the top wall of the pushbutton 6. A nozzle 64 which may be provided with a notch 66 at the outermost portion thereof is formed through the side wall of the pushbutton 6 in such a manner that when the pushbutton 6 is in its valve closing position the nozzle 64 is slightly above the annular groove 36 of the valve rod 3.

Next referring to FIG. 2, the mode of operation of the first embodiment will be described. Upon depression of the pushbutton 6, the plate spring 8 is deflected and the projection 62 is made in contact with the top 38 of the valve rod 3 and pushes the valve rod 3 downwardly. Thus, the tapered portion 37 of the valve rod 3 causes the first valve 4 to bend downwardly as shown in FIG. 2, thereby opening the passageway 33.

When the projection 62 of the pushbutton 6 is made in contact with the top 38 of the valve rod '3, the outer peripheral portion of the second valve 5 is pushed downwardly by the stepped portion of the pushbutton 6 and the second valve 5 is bent upwardly so that the passageway 34 is communicated with the lower space of the pushbutton 6. In this position, the nozzle 64 is made to conincide with the groove 36. Consequently, the liquid in the container 1 is sprayed into the surrounding atomosphere from the nozzle 64 through the opening 21 of the spring seat 2, the passageway 33, the valve passageway 31, the passage 34, the bore 65 of the pushbutton, the groove 63, the bore 35 and, the groove 36.

To stop spraying, the finger is removed from the pushbutton 6. In this case, the first valve 4 is closed first because of the strong valve spring thereof so that the passageway 33 is hydraulically disconnected from the container 1. Next the pushbutton 6 is moved upwardly relative to the valve rod 3 so that the second valve 5 is closed. Therefore, the passageway 34 is closed and the nonle 64 is not registered with the annular groove 36 so that the nozzle 64 is directly closed by the valve rod 3.

In this case, the volume of the space 7 is increased so that the pressure of the liquid remained in the valve passageway in the downstream of the first valve 4 immediately after the valve 4 is closed, is reduced. Therefore, the leakage or ejection of the liquid can be completely prevented from this portion.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. It should be noted that same parts are designated by same reference numeral throughout the figures and that corresponding parts are designated by reference numerals used in FIGS. 1 and 2 plus 100. The constructions and functions of these same and corresponding parts will not be described.

In the second embodiment, the spring seat 102 is a disk having an opening 121 and is fitted at a bottom portion of a cylindrical opening formed at the top of the container 1. The hollow cylindrical spray head 106 is fitted over the upper end of the valve rod 3. The second valve 105 having a frustoconical head is slidably fitted into a top opening of the spray head 106 having the configuration so as to mate with the frustoconical head and being formed coaxially at the upper portion of the bore 163. The second valve 105 has a skirt 151 which is fitted into the bore 163 of the spray head. A bore 152'is formed in the skirt 151. A helical groove 161 is formed in the inner wall of the bore 163 and a nonle 162 is radially formed through the side wall of the spray head 106 and is communicated with the groove 161. The second valve 105 is normally pressed against the upper and tapered portion of the bore 163 of the spray head 106 by a coiled spring 108 having a spring constant less than that of the spring 23. The second valve 105 is closed as shown in FIG. 3 when the bore 152 is not coincident with the groove 161. When the bore 152 is coincident with the groove 161, the nozzle is communicated with the valve passageway 31 through the space 7. FIG. 4 illustrates the spray head in spraying position. Further description of the second embodiment will not be made since the mode of operation and features of the second embodiment will be readily understood.

Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described hereinafter. Sarne parts are designated by corresponding referencenumerals plus 200.

The first valve of the third embodiment is substantially similar to that of the first embodiment in construction and function. The valve rod 3 has a semi-spherical head 39 and a passage 39a is extended slantingly upwardly from the passage 31 so as to open at the surface of the semi-spherical head 39.

The spray head 206 has a cavity 261 formed therein so as to mate with the semi-spherical head 39 and a lower opening of the cavity 261 is enlarged in diameter for permitting the rotation of the spray head 206 as shown by 265. In the enlarged space 265 is loaded a spring 208 for the second valve. In order to prevent the detachment of the spray head 206, the projec tions 263 engage with the side surface of the valve rod 3.

In the third embodiment, the second valve is constituted by the passage 39a in the valve head 39 and a spray nozzle 262 formed through the side wall of the spray head 206 so as to communicate the cavity 261 to the surrounding atmosphere. The second valve is therefore opened or closed depending upon whether the passage 39a coincides with the nozzle 262 or not. A bush 264 may be fitted into the noule 262. g I

To spray, the spray head 206 is slightly inclined so that the second valve is opened and thereafter the valve rod 3 is pushed downwardly so as to open the first valve. (These two steps may be reversed.) To stop spraying, the force acting upon the valve rod 3 from the finger is released, thereby closing the first valve and thereafter the second valve is closed. in the first and second embodiments, the first and second valves are opened in the axial direction of the valve rod, but in the third embodiment the second valve is rotated in the plane containing the axis of the valve rod.

Next the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 8. The first valve of this embodiment is similar to that described hereinabove in the first, second, and third embodiments.

The spray head 306 is a hollow cylindrical member and has a nozzle 361 formed through the side wall thereof. The spring 308 of the second valve is supported upon the top 38 of the valve rod 3. The second valve is opened or closed depending upon whether the nozzle 361 coincides or not with the passage 31a formed through the side wall of the valve rod 3 from the passage 31 thereof. As described hereinabove, the spring 308 of the second valve has a spring constant smaller than that of the spring 23 of the first valve and the volume of the cavity 7 in the spray head is increased when the second valve is closed. No further description will be made since the mode of operation and features of the fourth embodiment are substantially same as those of the preceding embodiments. The objects of the present invention may be accomplished by the constructions of the spray head described hereinabove. It must be understood that variations and modifications can be effected without departing from the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A noule head for spraying aerosol, comprising a spring seat fitted into the opening of an aerosol container which contains a liquid to be sprayed and a liquidified gas and accommodating a coiled spring therein; a cylindrical valve rod having a passageway therein axially, which is nonnally held by said coiled spring and is so arranged through a first valve as to establish or interrupt with the interior of said aerosol container; a hollow cylindrical spray head which has a nonle orifice formed radially through the side wall thereof and is fixed to the upper end of said valve rod; and a second valve which is adapted to establish or interrupt the communication between said nozzle orifice and said valve rod passage and is supported by another spring having a constant smaller than that of said coiled spring, characterized by that:

a. a radial passageway is formed across the whole diameter of said valve rod immediately above a large diameter valve seat formed at the lower end of said valve rod to communicate said valve passageway with the outside of said valve rod, and the outer edge of the lowermost end portion of said valve rod is downwardly tapered, while said first valve in the form of a ring made of elastic material is seated upon the upper edge of said spring seat and is fitted around said tapered portion of said valve rod; b. a radial passage in communication with said valve passageway is formed across the whole diameter of said valve rod at the upper and reduced portion of the latter,

and said second valve of a ring-shape is fitted around said reduced portion, engaging at the outer periphery portion thereof with the stepped portion of said spray head and being held in position by a retainer, while an annular groove is formed around said-valve rod at the position above said second valve and a bore is formed from the top of said valve rod coaxially thereof, being communicated with said annular groove through a passage;

c. said spray head is fitted over the upper end of said valve rod such as its inner wall may slide over said valve rod in the axial direction of the latter, being held at the lowermost end by means of said another spring in the form of a plate in a position, and an upper hollow portion above said inner wall is communicated by a through bore with the lower hollow portion of said spray head, while a groove is formed through a frustoconical projection extending into said upper hollow portion and said nozzle orifice is in a rest state slightly above said annular groove wherein the volume of said upper hollow portion is increased upon the closure of said second valve, resulting in reducing a pressure of liquid' remained in said valve passageway in the downstream of said first valve to prevent thereby the leakage or ejection of liquid through said nozzle orifice.

2. A nozzle head as specified in claim 1, wherein a. said spring seat is a disk having an opening and is fitted at a bottom portion of a cylindrical opening formed at the top of a container;

. said second valve having a frustoconical head is slidably fitted into a top opening of said spray head having a configuration so as to mate with said frustoconical head, being formed coaxially at the upper portion of a bore of said spray head and has a skirt fitted into said bore, in which skirt is formed another bore, while a helical groove is formed in the inner wall of said bore, being in communication with said nozzle orifice and is normally positioned below said bore, wherein said second valve is in a rest state pressed against an upper and tapered portion of said bore by said another spring in the form of a coil.

3. A nozzle head as specified in claim 1, wherein a. said valve rod has a semi-spherical head and a passage extending slantingly upwardly from said valve passageway so as to open at the surface of said semi-spherical head;

b. said spray head has a cavity formed therein so as to mate with said semi-spherical head, and a lower opening of said cavity is enlarged in diameter for permitting the inclination or rotation of said spray head on a plane containing the axis of said valve rod, while said another spring in the form of a plate is loaded in said enlarged opening, and projections engage with the side surface of said valve rod to prevent the detachment of said spray head; I

c. said second valve is constituted by said passage in said valve head and said spray nozzle to communicate said cavity to the surrounding atmosphere.

4. A nozzle head as specified in claim 2, wherein said second spring in the form of a plate is supported upon the top of said valve rod and a passage in communication with said passageway is formed through only one sideway of said valve rod, being positioned normally below said nozzle orifice.

5. A nozzle head for spraying aerosol comprising:

a valve rod having means defining a longitudinal passageway terminating short of at least the inner end of said valve rod;

means defining a circumferential indentation in the outer peripheral surface of the valve rod near the inner end of said valve rod;

means defining a passageway communicating between said longitudinal passageway and said circumferential indentation;

an annulus of resilient material coaxially received in and protruding radially outwardly from said circumferential indentation and normally sealing off communication of said passageway with said circumferential indentation;

circumferential clamp means gripping the annulus of resilient material radially outwardly of said indentation and being adapted to secure the nozzle head on an aerosol container;

means defining a communication passageway between said longitudinal passageway and the exterior of said valve rod near the outer end of said valve rod;

a pushbutton having means defining a socket therein, the outer end of said valve rod being received in said socket;

means defining a nozzle passageway in said pushbutton, communicating between said socket and the exterior of the push button;

spring means received between the pushbutton and the valve rod normally biasing the push button to a first disposition wherein the nozzle passageway is physically cut-ofi from communication with said communication passageway; said push button being finger actuable in a sense to resiliently distort said spring, as said pushbutton is moved against the action of said spring means to a second disposition wherein the nozzle passageway is in communication via said socket with said communication passageway;

said annulus of resilient material being so disposed that further actuation of said pushbutton, after said spring means has resiliently distorted, moves the valve rod axially relative to the clamping means thus resiliently distorting the annulus of resilient material sufficiently to partially pull the annulus from the circumferential indentation and thus expose said passageway to communication with the circumferential indentation;

said annulus of resilient material recovering, upon release of said pushbutton, to again seal off communication of said passageway with said circumferential indentation; said spring means recovering, after recovery of said annulus, to again nonnally bias the pushbutton to said first disposition thereof.

6. The nozzle head of claim 5 wherein said communication passageway is generally radially directed and emerges into means defining a second circumferential indentation in the outer peripheral surface of the valve rod in communication with said socket; a second resilient annulus coaxially received in and protruding radially outwardly from the second circumferential indentation and normally sealing off communication of said communication passageway with said socket; second circumferential clamp means in the socket of said push button gripping the second annulus radially outwardly of said second indentation,

the second resilient annulus being so disposed that actuation of the pushbutton in a sense to resiliently distort said spring means moves the pushbutton relative to the valve rod thus resiliently distorting the second annulus of resilient material sufficiently to partially pull the second annulus from the second circumferential indentation and thus expose said communication passageway to communication with the socket. 

1. A nozzle head for spraying aerosol, comprising a spring seat fitted into the opening of an aerosol container which contains a liquid to be sprayed and a liquidified gas and accommodating a coiled spring therein; a cylindrical valve rod having a passageway therein axially, which is normally held by said coiled spring and is so arranged through a first valve as to establish or interrupt with the interior of said aerosol container; a hollow cylindrical spray head which has a nozzle orifice formed radially through the side wall thereof and is fixed to the upper end of said valve rod; and a second valve which is adapted to establish or interrupt the communication between said nozzle orifice and said valve rod passage and is supported by another spring having a constant smaller than that of said coiled spring, characterized by that: a. a radial passageway is formed across the whole diameter of said valve rod immediately above a large diameter valve seat formed at the lower end of said valve rod to communicate said valve passageway with the outside of said valve rod, and the outer edge of the lowermost end portion of said valve rod is downwardly tapered, while said first valve in the form of a ring made of elastic material is seated upon the upper edge of said spring seat and is fitted around said tapered portion of said valve rod; b. a radial passage in communication with said valve passageway is formed across the whole diameter of said valve rod at the upper and reduced portion of the latter, and said second valve of a ring-shape is fitted around said reduced portion, engaging at the outer periphery portion thereof with the stepped portion of said spray head and being held in position by a retainer, while an annular groove is formed around said valve rod at the position above said second valve and a bore is formed from the top of said valve rod coaxially thereof, being communicated with Said annular groove through a passage; c. said spray head is fitted over the upper end of said valve rod such as its inner wall may slide over said valve rod in the axial direction of the latter, being held at the lowermost end by means of said another spring in the form of a plate in a position, and an upper hollow portion above said inner wall is communicated by a through bore with the lower hollow portion of said spray head, while a groove is formed through a frustoconical projection extending into said upper hollow portion and said nozzle orifice is in a rest state slightly above said annular groove wherein the volume of said upper hollow portion is increased upon the closure of said second valve, resulting in reducing a pressure of liquid remained in said valve passageway in the downstream of said first valve to prevent thereby the leakage or ejection of liquid through said nozzle orifice.
 2. A nozzle head as specified in claim 1, wherein a. said spring seat is a disk having an opening and is fitted at a bottom portion of a cylindrical opening formed at the top of a container; b. said second valve having a frustoconical head is slidably fitted into a top opening of said spray head having a configuration so as to mate with said frustoconical head, being formed coaxially at the upper portion of a bore of said spray head and has a skirt fitted into said bore, in which skirt is formed another bore, while a helical groove is formed in the inner wall of said bore, being in communication with said nozzle orifice and is normally positioned below said bore, wherein said second valve is in a rest state pressed against an upper and tapered portion of said bore by said another spring in the form of a coil.
 3. A nozzle head as specified in claim 1, wherein a. said valve rod has a semi-spherical head and a passage extending slantingly upwardly from said valve passageway so as to open at the surface of said semi-spherical head; b. said spray head has a cavity formed therein so as to mate with said semi-spherical head, and a lower opening of said cavity is enlarged in diameter for permitting the inclination or rotation of said spray head on a plane containing the axis of said valve rod, while said another spring in the form of a plate is loaded in said enlarged opening, and projections engage with the side surface of said valve rod to prevent the detachment of said spray head; c. said second valve is constituted by said passage in said valve head and said spray nozzle to communicate said cavity to the surrounding atmosphere.
 4. A nozzle head as specified in claim 2, wherein said second spring in the form of a plate is supported upon the top of said valve rod and a passage in communication with said passageway is formed through only one sideway of said valve rod, being positioned normally below said nozzle orifice.
 5. A nozzle head for spraying aerosol comprising: a valve rod having means defining a longitudinal passageway terminating short of at least the inner end of said valve rod; means defining a circumferential indentation in the outer peripheral surface of the valve rod near the inner end of said valve rod; means defining a passageway communicating between said longitudinal passageway and said circumferential indentation; an annulus of resilient material coaxially received in and protruding radially outwardly from said circumferential indentation and normally sealing off communication of said passageway with said circumferential indentation; circumferential clamp means gripping the annulus of resilient material radially outwardly of said indentation and being adapted to secure the nozzle head on an aerosol container; means defining a communication passageway between said longitudinal passageway and the exterior of said valve rod near the outer end of said valve rod; a pushbutton having means defining a socket therein, the outer end of said valve rod being received in said socket; means defining a nozzle paSsageway in said pushbutton, communicating between said socket and the exterior of the push button; spring means received between the pushbutton and the valve rod normally biasing the push button to a first disposition wherein the nozzle passageway is physically cut-off from communication with said communication passageway; said push button being finger actuable in a sense to resiliently distort said spring, as said pushbutton is moved against the action of said spring means to a second disposition wherein the nozzle passageway is in communication via said socket with said communication passageway; said annulus of resilient material being so disposed that further actuation of said pushbutton, after said spring means has resiliently distorted, moves the valve rod axially relative to the clamping means thus resiliently distorting the annulus of resilient material sufficiently to partially pull the annulus from the circumferential indentation and thus expose said passageway to communication with the circumferential indentation; said annulus of resilient material recovering, upon release of said pushbutton, to again seal off communication of said passageway with said circumferential indentation; said spring means recovering, after recovery of said annulus, to again normally bias the pushbutton to said first disposition thereof.
 6. The nozzle head of claim 5 wherein said communication passageway is generally radially directed and emerges into means defining a second circumferential indentation in the outer peripheral surface of the valve rod in communication with said socket; a second resilient annulus coaxially received in and protruding radially outwardly from the second circumferential indentation and normally sealing off communication of said communication passageway with said socket; second circumferential clamp means in the socket of said push button gripping the second annulus radially outwardly of said second indentation, the second resilient annulus being so disposed that actuation of the pushbutton in a sense to resiliently distort said spring means moves the pushbutton relative to the valve rod thus resiliently distorting the second annulus of resilient material sufficiently to partially pull the second annulus from the second circumferential indentation and thus expose said communication passageway to communication with the socket. 